Cambridge
Ther [Thermometer] Wednesday, Feb. 21, 1917 [February 21, 1917] Wea [Weather]
Fine
Bright sunshine & absence of strong
wind, combined with moderate
temperature to make this day a
rather pleasing one for those who had
occasion to spend it in the open air
- which I had not, unfortunately,
being otherwise engaged.
  Garden birds. The White-throat [White-throated Sparrow] singing
as usual; a screaming Jay & a cawing 
Crow. Nothing else save the customary
mob of House Sparrows, making their
accustomed fiendish din.
  Although devoting myself to the
Red-wing [Red-winged Blackbird] story from 10 A.M. to 6 P.M.
I failed to write anything whatever
that can be used for it. A few
lines which may thus serve were
composed hastily, however, after
supper. E. [Elizabeth R. Simmons] read Shirley to me
in the hall before that happened.
C. [Caroline Brewster] did not join us this evening
being too tired by a trip to Roxbury.

Cambridge
Ther [Thermometer] Thursday, Feb. 22, 1817 [February 22, 1917] Wea [Weather]
20 [degrees] Dull
Cloudy with occasional gleams of
sunshine and scattered snow flakes
falling listlessly every now and then.
The raw air almost windless.
  Garden birds. Only House Sparrows
and not many of these.
  With the Red-wing [Red-winged Blackbird] story some
apparently satisfactory progress was
made to-day by taking passages
here and there from what has
been written heretofore and putting
them together in new order. I only
hope this piece of patchwork will
not have to be tinkered much
more. It has cost me more than
a week of unceasing work to produce
what will no more than cover a
single printed page! At this rate
how long is it likely to take to
complete my Umbagog undertaking?
  Our evening spent by a bright
fire in front hall E. [Elizabeth R. Simmons] reading aloud
from Shirley to C. [Caroline Brewster] "Timmy" & me.